Air Filter's

Ok guys im opening the discussion of Pod filter vs Panel Filter, Ive got a cold air intake on my XR6T but factory air filter im wanting to get a better filter. now have heard about Pods being better but need to have special case for them otherwise there worse if all there sucking in is hot air, then have heard that Panel Filters with a cold air intake are better because thats how the cars are made to run, but then heard there nothing to pod filters does anyone have any info or evidence on these matters?

they all have there pros and cons, pods are mainly only good for there aid to induction noise, but if like u said put in a, enclosed case they can be effective too, the bad side to running a pod filter is the lack of filter surface area, and the density of the filter itself, they can suck in dust and are prone for it.

on the other hand panel filters are just as good when used in conjunction with the standard air intake, or with an enlarged snorkel.

at the end of the day it cones down to personal preference, im running a pod on mine atm until i get a bmc panel filter, if they make them lol

I've played around with air filters and intakes quite a bit in my time, in majority of cases it's best to use a highflow air filter with a larger snorkel or CAI. That way the factory airbox still keeps the heat out

SS Inductions have a large range of air induction kits to suit most cars and they have proved good results but are very expensive for what is essentially a heap of plastic

For your application (BAXR6T) I would reccomend the Blue Power racing developments airbox (also expensive), it uses a K&N pod filter in an enclosed heatproof box. It costs about the same as an SS inductions intake but is the best money can buy for modern fords. They yeild excellent results for N/A 6,Turbo 6 and the V8's and they also don't look too far out of place in the engine bay.

Alternatively you could look at the SS inductions range, they give you quite a few options. Pretty sure places like Herrod, HPF, and Nizpro would have their own types as well.

If your on a budget then I would just buy a highflow panel filter, both K&N and BMC provide good filters and cost around the $100. Do not use a pod filter unless it's enclosed

I've also seen people run extra holes, or lenghts of hose and stuff from the bottom of their bumpers to their airbox to get more air. I don't see much benefit here and it tends to fill your airbox up with dirt and stuff

If your pretty imaginative and mechanically minded you can easily make up your own intakes or airboxes etc or even workout how to run a pod in your factory airbox, be imaginative and just remember cold air is the most important factor. A small mount of cold air is still better then a larger amount of hot air

At the end of the day its only an air intake, there are better ways to make power out of your car if thats what your after. If you run an LPG setup CAI have an even smaller effect, as gas responds better to slightly warmer air, and also the mixer can be quite a restriction in most cases.

Heres a list of some small easy intake mods I have done in the past that you can do to a few late model cars for under $150

the restriction in your intake system increases exponentially with engine speed, so when you're at 4k+ RPM you might be limiting your mass flow rate of air and ultimately limiting your potential for horsepower. no matter how good your snorkel is, its always going to be more restrictive then an open filter.

having said that, cold air does have an impact on engine performance, its denser so has more oxygen to ignite with the fuel. at low engine speeds having colder air probably wont have a significant impact, it has too much time to get heated through the intake, heads and combustion chamber. at higher speeds, it has more impact.

its one of those things you could spend forever debating which is better. just comes down to your specific needs and how you drive.

Completely agree, however most road going cars are relatively low reving, so it's probably not a big issue. After my personal experience with my cars I found the highflow panel filter in factory airbox with a larger snorkel to work much better then an unboxed pod. A larger snorkel is always better then a small one

Will a high flow air filter with a large cold air intake make the turbo sound louder aswell i DONT have a after market blow off valve and dont want one but was wondering if i do get a high flow air filter will it have any affect on the sound of the turbo?just dont want the XR sounding to much like a ricer lol that's what the lancer's for lol